


Never Leave

by CarlyMalfoy



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Boys In Love, Boys Kissing, Drunken Confessions, Drunkenness, Friends to Lovers, Friendship, HP: Epilogue Compliant, Harry Potter Next Generation, M/M, New Year's Eve, Next Generation, Romance, Underage Drinking
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-06-29
Updated: 2015-06-29
Packaged: 2018-04-06 20:20:00
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 8,733
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4235256
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CarlyMalfoy/pseuds/CarlyMalfoy
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Friendship is difficult and romance is worse. Only the strongest of relationships can withstand the obstacles that both bring. Albus Severus/Scorpius.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. First Year

**Author's Note:**

> I just realised I hadn't posted this fic here before, so thought I'd do it now. I hope you all like it. The song lyrics at the beginning of the chapter are from Brand New Friend by Lloyd Cole.

_Am I asking for so much?_

_I'm not asking to be understood._

_Am I asking for so much?_

_I'm just looking for a brand new friend._

 

**First Year.**

"What if the rest of the children are horrible and don't like me?" asked Scorpius Malfoy, voicing his worries for the first time.

Draco Malfoy only wished that he had done so sooner so that he could have had time for a proper chat with his obviously anxious son. It was Scorpius' first day at Hogwarts and he should have already boarded the train by now.

' _I'll have to make this quick_ ', he thought.

Placing his hands on Scorpius' shoulders in a firm, reassuring manner, he knelt down so that he was level with the eyes that were so very like his own.

"They won't, Scorpius," he assured. "Just be yourself and they will forget all about your last name."

Scorpius was a sweet, good natured child and Draco's pride in him grew with every breath that he took. It pained him to think that people would judge his son cruelly based on the mistakes that he and his father had made during the war. Scorpius did not deserve that kind of treatment. Draco had faith in him though; he was strong and if anyone would be able to redeem the Malfoy name it would be Scorpius.

Scorpius nodded at his father, trying to look as though his words had eased his fears. Draco knew this was not the case due to the tell-tale way that Scorpius was fiddling with the bottom of his jumper. But before he could offer anymore words of comfort the whistle blew, signalling that any children still on the platform should board the train immediately.

"You'd best go, Scorpius." Draco pulled him in for a brief but warm hug. This soothed Scorpius' distress better than any words ever could.

Scorpius' mother, Astoria Malfoy, hugged him tightly against her chest then ushered him onto the train. When her son's platinum blond head popped out of the train window she began to fret at him.

"Be careful, won't you? Write regularly and let us know which house you are sorted into. If you've forgotten anything, we'll owl it. We love you, darling!"

"Okay, mum. Love you both."

Scorpius watched his parents get smaller and smaller until the train rounded a corner and they were out of sight completely. He sighed and began to look for a compartment to sit in. He knew he should probably try and socialise with the others in his year but he really didn’t want to. Just the thought of it made him so nervous that he thought he might vomit. By the time he reached the end of the train he was cursing himself for spending so much time on the platform because all of the compartments seemed to be occupied. Panic began to rise within him.

' _I'm going to have to sit out in the aisle! Or worse- Socialise!_ ' he thought frantically. On his way back to the top end of the train he passed a compartment with just one boy inside. The boy was rather scrawny looking with unkempt black hair and he had his nose in a book. Scorpius didn't think he looked too threatening so he knocked on the door and slid it opened. The boy looked up from his book and smiled.

"Hello," Scorpius began politely, thanking Merlin that he hadn't stuttered; he always did that when he was nervous. "Would you mind if I sat in here with you?"

The boy beamed. "No, not at all! I could do with some company. My brother won't let me sit with him and his friends and I have no idea what's happened to my friend Matthew. Who knows where he's gone..."

Scorpius snickered at the boy's seemingly complete lack of concern over his friend's whereabouts.

"I'm Scorpius Malfoy." He held out his hand, half expecting the boy to make a nasty face upon hearing his name. To his surprise the raven haired boy just grinned at him and shook his hand.

"Albus Severus Potter," he said, grimacing slightly as he said it. "But please call me Al. I really have to insist."

Scorpius chuckled. "Nice to meet you, Al."

"You too."

"So... You are Harry Potter's son," Stated Scorpius.

"Yeah," Albus replied. "And you're Draco Malfoy's son. Our dads didn't like each other very much."

"No they didn't," Scorpius agreed. "My father respects yours now, though. He saved his life. I should thank him one day," he mused.

Albus didn't say anything at first. He had, of course, heard the story of how his dad had saved 'that git Malfoy' a thousand times from his Uncle Ron.

"You know, just because our fathers weren't friends doesn't mean that we can't be. I mean, if you want to be," Albus offered hesitantly.

Scorpius beamed at him, the expression brightening his entire face. "I'd like that."

They chatted easily about everything from family to Quidditch. They discovered, to their great pleasure, that they both supported the same team; The Falmouth Falcons. They rambled excitedly about games they had been to and their favourite players until the lady with the trolley knocked on the door.

"So,” said Albus around a mouthful of chocolate frog, "what house do you think you'll be in?"

"I don't know. My whole family have been in Slytherin, so I'll probably end up there. I think that's what father's hoping for anyway." He gingerly picked up a Bertie Bott's Every Flavour Bean from the box. "What about you?"

"Well, I was actually really worried about it," Albus confessed. "My brother, James, kept telling me I would end up in Slytherin and that the family would shun me but I spoke to my dad and he says he and my mum will be proud of me wherever I end up. So I don't really mind. Although," he scrunched up his face, "I'd rather not be in Hufflepuff."

"No, me neither," Scorpius agreed. Then he snorted, "The look on my dad’s face would be hilarious if, Merlin forbid, I was ever sorted into Hufflepuff though."

"Also, my dad says the Sorting Hat takes what you want into account," Albus informed him.

"Really?" asked Scorpius, seeming intrigued. "How does he know?"

"It wanted to put him in Slytherin and he asked it not to, so it didn't," Albus explained with a shrug.

 

\- - - - - - - - - - - - -

 

They talked easily for the rest of the journey, just basking in each other's company, until all too soon they were standing in the Great Hall waiting to be sorted.

Albus was fiercely returning the glares that James had been shooting him since he had spotted him with the young Malfoy.

"Malfoy, Scorpius."

Fear gripped Scorpius and seemed to have taken control of his legs, which for the life of him he could not make move. Albus gave him an encouraging shove in the direction of the stool and he began walking towards it shakily. As soon as the hat was on his head, it began speaking in a low voice that made him shiver slightly.

"Hmm, a Malfoy. Different from the rest, I see; more kind hearted. Very intelligent too but there's no denying that cunning streak and thirst to prove yourself. You could do well in Ravenclaw, you know, but no. You belong in... _SLYTHERIN!_ "

Scorpius heaved a deep sigh of relief as he stood. Albus was giving him a thumbs up and he smirked back at him before he made his way to join his new housemates, who were all applauding him, at the Slytherin table.

Scorpius let his mind wander as he sat and looked around the Great Hall in awe. He had never imagined it to be as grand as it was. He vaguely recalled hearing a "Thomas, Matthew" being sorted into Ravenclaw and wondered idly whether he was the friend that Albus had mentioned. If it was, Albus would probably ask to be sorted into Ravenclaw too. He was surprised when that thought made his stomach clench uncomfortably as jealousy prickled beneath his skin. He had only known Albus for a few hours, he reprimanded himself. He had no right to think that Albus would feel any loyalty towards him and it was ridiculous of him to even crave that. That is why it came as such a shock when the hat bellowed ' _SLYTHERIN_ ' when announcing Albus' house.

This outcome did not seem to sit well with his family at the Gryffindor table who were all standing to holler things like, "That's a mistake!" and "Sort him again!" Albus didn't seem to be concerned by their reactions though. He had simply smiled sweetly at them all before dropping into the seat next to Scorpius at the Slytherin table. _Their_ table.

Scorpius turned to face his companion, feeling a little wonderstruck.

"Did you ask to be put in Slytherin?" He inquired.

"Yes," Albus replied, lifting his goblet of pumpkin juice to his lips.

Scorpius hesitated then, not sure whether or not to ask his next question.

"Because of me?"

"Yes," Albus repeated instantly, the corners of his mouth quirking upwards into a smile.

Albus turned to face Scorpius and held his goblet out to him. Scorpius returned the small smile as they clinked their goblets in a silent toast to their new alliance, budding friendship and to all of the good times they were going to share.


	2. Fifth Year

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This part takes place during the boys' fifth year at Hogwarts. The lyrics at the top are from Shania Twain's 'From This Moment On'. Enjoy!

_From this moment life has begun_

_From this moment you are the one_

_Right beside you is where I belong_

_From this moment on._

**Fifth year.**

Albus Severus Potter was having a rotten time. He was attempting to pack his trunk before going home for the Christmas holidays and was failing miserably. He had never been good at this sort of thing; he was very untidy. He had, so far, only managed to pack a couple of pairs of underwear and a few t-shirts although he had been trying to pack for over half an hour. He scowled as he looked out of the window and saw the snow falling heavily. ' _I should be out there having a snowball fight_ ', he thought moodily.

His mood lightened slightly when he looked at his best friend, Scorpius Malfoy, who seemed to be having an even worse time of it than he was if that was even possible. His brow was furrowed and there was a visible sheen of sweat on his forehead. ' _Probably due to the stress of packing_ ' thought Albus sympathetically.

The most obvious sign that Scorpius was not his usual calm self was that his normally immaculate hair was slightly mussed. Albus didn't dare mention this to him though because he did, after all, value his life.

"Albus Severus Potter," growled Scorpius, doing a good job of looking menacing considering he had a grey sock draped over his shoulder and a pair of boxers hanging around his wrist. His eyes were narrowed so that they were just silver slits. It was a frightening sight, Albus decided.

"Yes, Scorpius?" he asked, a false sweetness lacing his tone.

"THIS IS ALL YOUR FAULT!" Albus eyebrows shot up in surprise at the outburst.

"What are you raving on about, you lunatic?"

"This!" he screeched, gesturing wildly to the mess of clothes that surrounded him.

"If you hadn't enticed me with chess and coffee, I would have done this last night at a leisurely pace and I would not be stressed out of my mind today!"

' _Oh no_ ,' Albus thought. He had to calm Scorpius down before he had one of his infamous tantrums. The last time he had one of those he had made the lamp in the dormitory explode and Albus still had a scar on his arm from a shard of glass that had gotten stuck in his skin.

"It's okay, Score, you have plenty of time. The train doesn't leave until one o'clock tomorrow."

"I won't manage in time. I'm going to miss the train and I'll be here alone for the entire holiday," Scorpius sounded frantic.

"You'll manage just fine. Even if you didn't, you know I would stay here with you, you toad."

Scorpius visibly relaxed at those words.

"My mum showed me a spell that separates all your clothes. I'll do it for you, okay?"

Scorpius nodded.

"Singulus Vestitus," murmured Albus, pointing his wand at all of Scorpius' things.

Immediately, the clothes began to sort themselves into neat piles. T-shirts with t-shirts, trousers with trousers, pants with pants, robes with robes, and socks with socks.

Scorpius smiled serenely at all the little bundles and began lifting them and gently placing them all into his case while Albus did the same with his things. Scorpius sighed happily.

"Ah, finished at last."

Albus sniggered at his friend; he was such a drama queen.

"Why didn't you think of that spell before? You were enjoying watching me suffer, weren't you?" Scorpius accused.

"No, I was not! I forgot all about it actually. I only remembered when your little temper tantrum began to flare up."

"Shut it."

Albus smirked triumphantly.

"Scorpius, have you seen my Weasley jumper?" asked Albus, looking around for it.

Scorpius flushed a deep shade of pink that looked utterly foreign on his porcelain skin.

"Scorpius," said Albus menacingly. "What have you done with my jumper? I don't care how much of a fashion crime you think it is, but I told you very clearly not to bin it!"

"I did _not_ bin it!" squawked Scorpius, looking affronted by the accusation. He rummaged around at the bottom of his trunk and reluctantly pulled out a thick, forest green jumper with a large silver 'A' on it.

"You stole my jumper?" asked Albus, perplexed.

"I didn't think you'd mind since you'd be getting a new one at Christmas next week anyway. It's just so cosy," he admitted, the pink glow on his cheeks intensifying. "Is it okay if I keep it?" He muttered, looking up at Albus through his blond lashes.

Albus stared at him incredulously for a moment before erupting into a loud roar of laughter. Scorpius did not look at all amused by the situation.

"Of course you can keep it, Scorpius. You could have just asked instead of trying to smuggle it out of the castle," said Albus, tears of mirth shining in his emerald eyes.

"Shut up," muttered Scorpius but he couldn't fight the smile that tugged at his lips as he watched Albus laugh happily.

Albus stood up suddenly.

"Let's go enjoy the snow. Get your Weasley jumper on—you know you want to!"

He ran off cackling before Scorpius could kick him in the shins.

 

\- - - - - - - - - 

 

The next day, the Hogwarts Express began its journey from Hogsmeade station to Kings Cross at one o'clock as scheduled.

The snow had stopped falling but it still lay thick on the ground. The December air had a nasty bite to it but despite the cold weather outside, the Hogwarts Express remained deliciously warm which was greatly appreciated by all aboard.

Albus and Scorpius had a compartment to themselves, which was a rare occurrence. They were usually accompanied by their two friends Alexander Zabini and Mathew Thomas. Mathew had turned out to be the boy Scorpius had heard being sorted into Ravenclaw on their first day at Hogwarts, but the Slytherins had accepted him without question as soon as they learned that he was a friend of Albus. If he could be trusted by one Slytherin, it was okay for the rest of them to trust him too.

Alexander Zabini was one Slytherin who had taken a shine to him almost immediately. Alexander, to the dismay of his father, Blaise Zabini, was very interested in Muggles—not unlike Albus' grandpa Weasley. Mathew had a great deal of knowledge about Muggles because his father was Muggle-born and he had been more than happy to talk with Alexander for hours on end about Muggles and their customs.

Scorpius had met Alexander a few times before he arrived at Hogwarts because their fathers knew each other. They were on good terms, but Draco had once told Scorpius he wasn't particularly fond of Blaise because he was "a snake of a man". On getting to know Alexander when he started school, Scorpius discovered that he was not at all like his father and was actually very nice.

A week before the holidays were due to begin, Alexander had received a letter from his father informing him that he and his wife would be jetting off to France for a winter break and that Alexander was to stay at Hogwarts. Mathew, the loyal friend that he was, could not bear the thought of his friend spending Christmas alone and had owled his father immediately to let him know he would be staying at school for the holidays to keep Alexander company.

Albus and Scorpius were lounging comfortably on the floor of the compartment on two large cushions Scorpius had transfigured from textbooks.

They were both leaning over a book reading a paragraph that Scorpius had found fascinating. Their heads were touching lightly; Albus' dark hair was tickling Scorpius' cheek slightly and they were pressed together a little more than was necessary.

Albus' older brother entered the compartment, took in the sight of the two younger boys cosied up together and smirked knowingly.

"You two are so nauseating," he stated. "When are you going to put each other out of your miseries and go out, for Merlin's sake?"

The boys blushed furiously and shifted apart.

"Piss off, James," muttered Albus, not looking James in the eye.

James snickered.

"Calm down, little bro, I'm only saying. Anyway, the only reason I invaded your little love shack was to tell you that we'll be there in ten minutes, so get your stuff together."

They sat in an awkward silence after James left. It was not the first time someone had made a comment like that. In fact, remarks like that were often made about their relationship but both boys tried to ignore it and refused to acknowledge—at least not out loud—that there might be even a glimmer of truth in what people were saying. They were just best friends.

Scorpius finally broke the silence.

"Father says he'll make arrangements properly with your parents at the station so that you can come stay over the holidays—that is, if you still want to," he said hesitantly.

"I do!" said Albus quickly. He loved staying at Malfoy Manor and anytime spent with Scorpius was always the best.

"Oh, good," said Scorpius, relief evident in his voice.

They stepped onto the platform, all embarrassment forgotten and looked around for their parents. They found their families standing together and were surprised and relieved to see that their fathers were not arguing for once.

"You're sure you don't mind having Albus stay?" Albus' mum, Ginny, was asking the Malfoys.

"No, not at all!" replied Astoria Malfoy, smiling kindly at Albus. "He is a charming boy."

"Yes," drawled Draco. "He's very smart and has excellent manners. I rather like him, actually. It's a miracle considering that he has lived in a house with _you_ all of his life, Potter." He smirked at Harry.

"Draco!" scolded Astoria.

Harry laughed, a loud, cheerful laugh.

"Touché, Malfoy."

Albus and Scorpius looked at each other and shook their heads at their fathers' antics. They still acted as though they were fifteen. It was always quite amusing to watch until it went too far and someone ended up being punched on the nose.

"Well, we'd best be off," said Astoria Malfoy, obviously wanting to leave while things were still friendly.

Ginny, who seemed to agree with her, said her goodbyes to the Malfoys and led Harry away.

"I'll see you on Boxing Day then, Score," said Albus with a grin.

Scorpius beamed, an expression he rarely showed anyone but Albus. "Have a good Christmas, yeah?"

Albus waved to him one last time and followed his family out of the station. He forced all thoughts of the peculiar pang in his chest out of his mind.

Christmas was, as usual, brilliant for Albus. He got everything he wanted, including the brand new racing broom he had been hinting about and Grandma Molly had also knitted him a brand new Weasley jumper which he was grateful for now that Scorpius had his old one.

He had found his thoughts frequently straying to Scorpius since he had come home for Christmas. It was strange and he did not want to dwell on what it might mean, so he told himself that it was only because he was looking forward to going to the Manor. He always had an excellent time whenever he stayed there.

 

\- - - - - - - - - -

 

A sort of nervous excitement buzzed beneath Albus' skin as he waited outside the huge doors of Malfoy Manor. The harsh winter wind made his unruly black hair even more untidy than it was usually and he tried unsuccessfully to pat it down.

The door opened, revealing Scorpius standing behind it in a pair of dark Muggle jeans and his old Weasley jumper.

The uncomfortable pressure that had been dwelling in his chest since he said goodbye to Scorpius subsided immediately and was replaced by warmth at the sight.

"Albus!" Scorpius smiled Albus' favourite smile and pulled him in for a hug. The familiar scent of citrus body wash and and something just completely Scorpius made him feel slightly lightheaded. As they pulled apart, Albus willed the blush that had begun to creep up his neck to disappear.

"Mother's had the room you always sleep in prepared for you."

He took Albus' trunk and clicked his fingers. A house elf appeared in front of them with a loud 'crack'.

"Yes, Master Scorpius?" It looked at Scorpius expectantly with its huge glassy eyes.

Albus almost combusted trying to hold in his mirth at hearing Scorpius being called master. The blond shot him a warning look.

"Libby, would you please take Albus' trunk up to his room?"

The elf nodded vigorously, "Of course, anything for the young master."

The elf was obviously rather fond of Scorpius.

Scorpius offered it a small smile, "Thank you, Libby." And with that Libby disapparated with another harsh 'crack'.

 

\- - - - - -  - - - - - - 

 

The days passed in a blur of laughter for the boys and New Year’s Eve seemed to creep up on them from behind.

Draco and Astoria were heading off to a fancy party and were leaving Albus and Scorpius alone in the Manor.

"You look beautiful, Mother," Scorpius complimented.

He wasn't lying. His mother had on a gorgeous midnight blue dress that cinched in at the waist and skimmed gracefully over her hips. Her dark hair cascaded elegantly over her shoulders in thick ringlets and her striking azure eyes seemed to be glittering like the silver trimmings on her evening gown.

"Thank you, darling," She smiled warmly and kissed him on the cheek. "Now be good, boys, won't you?"

They both nodded.

"If you are not," said Draco, his eyes narrowed at them in a mock glare, "I shall know."

And then they were gone.

"So…" said Scorpius, a mischievous glint in his eye. “Shall we break out the fire whiskey now or later?"

 

\- - - - - - - - - - - - - 

 

The boys spent the evening getting blissfully drunk on the living room floor as they waited for the bells to signify that a new year had begun.

"Can you believe we're still friends?" asked Scorpius, his speech slurring slightly. "I mean, really, it's been five bloody years, and here we are."

A lazy grin spread across his face and he shuffled slightly closer to Albus.

Albus was silent for a few moments.

"Can't really 'magine it any other way. Can you?"

"No," murmured Scorpius.

"We'll always be best friends," said Albus firmly looking up into the grey eyes that he had come to know so well.

"How'd you know?"

"'Cause, life would be no fun without you, Score," he replied simply. The alcohol was allowing him to say these things without the embarrassment that would usually have accompanied them.

Scorpius smiled at him with heavy lidded eyes.

"Nearly midnight, just under a minute to go."

Albus finally gave into the invisible current he had been fighting since he arrived at Malfoy Manor and shifted closer to Scorpius so that their noses were almost brushing.

"You know the stuff people say about us," Albus began, his breath ghosting over Scorpius' lips, making the blond feel light headed in a way that had nothing to do with the obscene amount of fire whiskey he had consumed. "Do you ever think it might be true?"

"When they say that we… fancy each other?"

Albus nodded, his forehead bumping gently against Scorpius'.

"Yes," Scorpius breathed.

_Ten seconds left to go._

"Me too."

 _Nine seconds_.

"But you went out with that Ravenclaw girl."

_Six seconds._

"Such a stupid mistake. I only want you, Scorpius."

 _Five seconds_.

"You have me."

 _Four seconds_.

"Kiss me then."

In the three seconds that were left, Scorpius grasped every thread of courage that he had and closed the gap between them and kissed Albus softly, nervously, sweetly. Scorpius gasped at the intensity of the emotion that had been stirred by the simple brush of lips which allowed Albus to slip his tongue between Scorpius' lips in search for his tongue. The pair felt as though they were breathing for the first time as they tentatively explored each other's mouths in an intimate combination of warm sliding lips and stroking tongues.

For both Albus and Scorpius, the kiss was a promise. A promise to finally give into their feelings and open up to one another on a completely new level. Neither could think of a more perfect way to begin the New Year.


	3. Seventh Year

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is the last chapter. I hope you all enjoyed this fic! The lyrics at the beginning of the chapter are from You're All I Have by Snow Patrol.

_Train this chaos, turn it into light  
_ _I've gotta see you one last night  
_ _Before the lions take their share  
_ _Leave us in pieces scattered everywhere_

**Seventh Year.** Scorpius Malfoy was in a foul mood, and he had been for days. Whilst the rest of his year celebrated finishing their exams and the fast-approaching end of their time at Hogwarts, Scorpius sat alone in the library.

He rejected all of his boyfriend Albus' invitations to spend time together and ignored the hurt that graced his better half's features every time he walked away from him. Scorpius knew he was being unfair, but he had decided that it was the way things had to be.

He was sitting in the library at his favourite desk which was secluded in the corner, when Albus entered. Albus was never one to give up; Scorpius knew that because they had, after all, been best friends for almost seven years and a couple for two.

He had shared most of the best moments of his life with Albus, and he loved him, but he had to distance himself from him. In a week's time, they would be boarding the Hogwarts Express for the very last time. Albus would be going off to train as an Auror, like his father, and he wouldn't want his childhood sweetheart there to drag him down and keep him living in the past. He would want to move on, and Scorpius had sworn to himself that he would not show any weakness when Albus told him that. He wanted Albus to be able to live the life he wanted without feeling any guilt over leaving Scorpius behind. So he had to prepare himself for life without his best friend.

Albus beamed at him as he crossed the room, and Scorpius was unable to prevent the smile that spread across his face in return. Albus' easy going smile was always something that he had found irresistible and contagious. He was so helpless in every way when it came to him.

"Hey," said Albus softly, leaning down to place a gentle kiss on his lips.

Scorpius' insides danced, and his limbs seemed to turn to liquid. He thought it ridiculous that Albus' kisses should still have such an extreme effect on him after two years. When they broke apart, Albus grinned at him, his emerald eyes glittering.

"What are you doing in here?" asked Scorpius, catching Albus' hand in his own.

"Looking for you," Albus replied, stroking the back of Scorpius' hand with his thumb. "Exams are over, Score, you don't need to study anymore."

"I'm not studying; I'm just reading."

Albus frowned slightly, "Right, you're just in here because you want to be."

Scorpius stayed silent and was shocked to hear that when Albus spoke again his voice was an angry hiss.

"I just thought I might be able to persuade you to have a break for a while, thought that maybe you might miss me just a little bit too, since we've barely spoken all week because you refuse to spend any time with me. But no, you're in here by choice. That's fine; I'll leave you to your book."

Albus all but spat the last word and snatched his hand away from Scorpius abruptly.

Scorpius was horrified, the fury flickering in his boyfriend's eyes caused panic to erupt in his chest. 'What have I done?' he thought. He grabbed Albus' wrist to stop him from leaving. All thoughts of his plan to distance himself from the dark haired boy seemed to evaporate.

"No, Albus, wait. I _do_ miss you." Albus didn't say anything. He kept his gaze hard and stared straight ahead but he didn’t leave. "Let's go somewhere," Scorpius said quickly, standing up and twining his fingers with Albus'. He was relieved when Albus didn't pull his hand away; it was a good sign. "Let's go to the kitchens and get some food, and then we can go sit by the lake. The weather's fantastic."

Albus turned slowly to face Scorpius, his eyes narrowed in contemplation.

"Can we get chocolate?"

Scorpius chuckled.

"We can get whatever you want, Al."

Albus seemed to consider this for a moment before grinning at Scorpius enthusiastically.

"Okay then, you git. Come on."

 

\- - - - - - - - - - - 

 

Half an hour later they were sprawled out on the thick, vibrant grass beside the Black Lake with a large wicker picnic basket beside them filled with every type of food they had fancied, thanks to the house elves in the kitchen.

"Pass me a pumpkin pasty, Al."

"You're so lazy; you need to learn to do things for yourself."

Scorpius groaned.

"Noooo, please get me a pasty. I need a pasty. Please, Albus, the love of my life, the only star in my sky, my sweet, sweet baby, my lovebug, my — OUCH!"

A pumpkin pasty collided with the side of Scorpius' head.

"Don't you ever call me those things again!" said Albus, looking mildly sick.

Scorpius cackled and bit into his pasty; he knew exactly how to get what he wanted from Albus. He licked the icing off of his fingers and then lay down, resting his head in Albus' lap. Seemingly without thinking, Albus began running his fingers through Scorpius hair, and the blond sighed contentedly. He didn't know what he would do when Albus was no longer there to do that for him, or to hold him and to kiss him. The thought made his stomach churn unpleasantly.

They lay in silence for what could have been minutes or even hours before Albus spoke.

"The leaver's ball is next Friday."

"The night before we leave this place for good," murmured Scorpius with a sad lilt to his voice.

"Yeah," said Albus quietly.

"Will you go with me, Score?"

"You didn't have to ask, Albus. Who else would I be going with?"

"I just wanted to do it properly. So, will you do me the honour of being my date?" Albus smirked as he asked this.

Scorpius snickered but he couldn't deny the bolt of pleasure that shot up his spine.

"Yeah, okay, I'll be your date to the ball."

Albus laughed and leaned down to kiss Scorpius hard on the mouth. They were both laughing when they broke apart.

"Love you, Scorpius."

"Love you, too."

 

\- - - - - - - - - - - 

 

Albus Potter was walking down to the Great Hall for lunch when his cousin, Rose Weasely, bounced up behind him and grabbed his arm.

"Have you heard?" she asked, an excited smile stretching across her freckled face.

His brows furrowed, "Heard what?"

"The ball," she began, her blue eyes twinkling, "It's going to be a masquerade ball! I might find my one true love. It will be so romantic; I can see it now. We will dance all night long, and then at midnight he will carefully remove my mask and I his, and we will realise that we are the perfect pair."

Albus snorted at the wistfulness in her voice and the far off look in her eye.

"That's all well and good, but I'm going with Scorpius. I don't need to find my one true love; I already have him," he said smugly.

"No need to rub it in," she said sourly, narrowing her gaze at him.

His family had all been extremely supportive of his and Scorpius' relationship. Truth be told, Albus had an inkling that they had all seen their romance coming before he and Scorpius had. He had expected his uncle Ron to be angry that his nephew was in love with a Malfoy but the red haired man confessed that after all the summers that Scorpius had spent with their family, he had actually come to like the young Malfoy.

Most surprising of the reactions was his older brother James'. He had clapped Albus on the back and whispered, "Well in mate; it's not every day you find someone to love you the way he loves you."

Albus was sure if he brought it up James would deny ever saying it.

 

\- - - - - - - - - - - - - - 

 

Scorpius had given up on his plan of distancing himself from Albus and had decided to just make the most of the time he had left with him. He was looking forward to the ball and seeing Albus all dressed up in his finery. It would be the perfect way to end their time at Hogwarts.

The seventh years had all been given permission to go into Hogsmeade on the Wednesday before the ball to buy outfits. The clothes shops were absolutely packed and Scorpius thanked Merlin that he and Albus were both rich enough to be able to shop in the quieter, more expensive shops in the village.

They entered a small, purple shop, hand in hand and waited for assistance. A tall, slender woman in deep red robes approached them with a polite smile on her crimson lips.

"Good afternoon, gentlemen. Here for outfits for the leaver's ball I assume?"

Scorpius nodded primly. "Could we please be fitted separately? I would like our outfits to be a surprise."

Albus gaped at this; he had expected to be fitted with Scorpius. Expensive shops made him feel uncomfortable; he felt as though he didn't belong there.

"Of course, not a problem," she said, turning to call on someone called Monique.

Monique was a tall, plump witch with sleek caramel curls that fell below her shoulders. She looked pleasant, and Albus hoped she would be the one to fit his robes. His luck was in.

"Monique, take this young man through to be fitted," she said, gesturing to Albus.

Monique ushered him through to the fitting room.

"Was there anything you had in mind, sir?" she inquired.

He hadn't even thought about what he wanted.

"Umm, I'd like something simple, you know? Nothing too fancy."

She smiled, "I think we have just the thing for you. Give me a moment."

And then she bustled off to find an outfit for Albus.

 

\- - - - - - - - - - - - - - 

 

An hour or so later the boys made their way back down the streets of Hogsmeade laden with bags. Both were content and sure that they had found the perfect outfits for the ball.

"Can I see what you got?" Albus asked, trying to peak into Scorpius' bag.

"No you may not!" exclaimed Scorpius, hastily pulling his bag away and looking at Albus affronted as though he had asked if he could pull down his trousers in the middle of the street.

The two days before the ball passed quickly and before anyone knew it Friday, the night of the ball, was upon them. A strange atmosphere surrounded the seventh years, a feeling of giddiness mixed with sadness as their last night at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry began.

By half past five, all of the girls had retreated to their dorm rooms to prepare for the night ahead while the boys sat in the common room wondering why they would possibly need more than forty five minutes to get ready.

"Seriously, though," said Alexander Zabini, "two and a half hours, it's too long. There is no way they need all that time."

"Well, Charlotte Banklebee probably does. Have you seen the warts on her chin?" said Mathew Thomas, laughing heartily.

Scorpius who was sitting with his head on Albus' shoulder, leaned up and stroked his boyfriend’s cheek with his index finger, "I'm so glad I don't have to put up with women. You're much less hassle."

"You aren't," remarked Albus, grinning cheekily.

Scorpius swiftly swatted him on the head, "Rude boy. I'm going to get ready now."

"Aw, no don't go," pleaded Albus, trying to tug him back down onto the leather couch they had been sitting on.

"No, I'm going. Don't leave getting ready too late, Al. I don't want to have to wait while you rush about at the last minute."

"Sure, sure," smirked Albus.

Scorpius entered the dormitory and sighed contentedly at the silence that surrounded him. He loved it when the dorm was empty; it was hard to get peace when you lived with four other boys. That was one thing he was not going to miss about school.

He pushed open the door to the bathroom and turned on the shower, putting his hand under the powerful sprays to test the temperature. As always, it was perfect. He didn't know why he still tested the water; it was just a habit he supposed.

He pulled off his uniform, shimmied out of his boxers, and stepped into the deliciously warm shower. He hummed quietly as the sprays massaged the muscles in his back, relieving the tension that had built there. He took his time lathering and rinsing his hair because he knew it would be the last time he would really get to do it properly in the Hogwarts showers. If he showered tomorrow, it would just be a quick one to refresh himself before the train journey.

The thought made his stomach clench uncomfortably. He wished he could just dig his heels in and slow time down just a little bit. Everything was happening far too quickly for his liking. Not only was his time at Hogwarts coming to a close, so was his time with Albus. His goofy, clever, perfect Albus. No matter how hard he tried not to allow it, his mind continued to wander back to dark thoughts of life without Albus. He was torturing himself.

As he stood in the steamy bathroom towelling himself dry, he heard the boys enter, chatting animatedly. He tied the towel round his waist and opened the door.

"Mathew, what's the password for the prefect's bathroom? I want to get ready in there."

"It's ' _excellens discipulus_.' Why do you want to get ready in there?"

"Because," he said, casting a glance over at Albus who looked adorably puzzled, "I don't want Albus to see me until I'm completely ready."

He pulled on a pair of jeans and a plain black top, gathered the bags with his outfit, and placed a quick kiss on Albus's lips.

"I'll meet you at the bottom of the stairs at eight o'clock. Don't be late."

 

\- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 

 

Albus dressed slowly but carefully. He had plenty of time, and he wanted to make sure he made the most of it to get himself looking as good as possible for Scorpius. He really wanted this night to be perfect.

He pulled his long-sleeved, white cotton shirt over his tanned, freshly showered skin and slid the perfectly fitting black trousers over his hips and did up the buttons. He took time preparing his hair so that it looked stylishly dishevelled rather than like a haystack as it usually did. The Slytherin then applied a subtle amount of aftershave to the base of his throat, just enough so that Scorpius could catch a whiff of it if he came close enough. He tied his black tie slowly, trying to make it as perfect as he possibly could, pulled on his black suit jacket and ran his hands down it. Then finally, he placed his simple black mask over his eyes. He stood in front of the only full-length mirror in the room and inspected his appearance.

' _Not bad_ ,' he thought, ' _not bad at all_.'

His mirror seemed to agree with him. It made a low growling sound and said, "Go get 'em tiger."

 

\- - - - - - - - -

 

Scorpius waited at the bottom of the stairs in the entrance hall fiddling with the sleeves of his white silk shirt. He was five minutes early, and he wished Albus would hurry up. Other students passed by him and the vast majority had made a huge effort with their outfits. The girls wore beautiful flowing dresses with sparkles and lace, and on their faces they wore masquerade masks. Some were simple while others were more elaborate with jewels and feathers. The boys also looked incredibly smart in their formal outfits. Some were wearing tuxedos; others, like Scorpius had gone for something a little less traditional. He had on a fine silk shirt with a midnight blue vest on top with silver embroidery and a matching cape clipped with silver clasps engraved with the Malfoy crest. On his face he wore a simple, silver mask that covered his eyes and nose. He was pleased with the outfit; he thought it made him look rather dashing, like a prince or a hero.

Finally, Scorpius looked up to see Albus coming down the stairs; even while Albus was wearing a mask he was still able to spot him with ease. When his boyfriend got close enough for Scorpius to get a proper look at him, his breath hitched a little. Albus looked ridiculously handsome; he had obviously put a lot of effort into his appearance. Scorpius was unable to suppress the wide smile that spread across his face when Albus waved at him from the stairs and he was still smiling when his boyfriend pulled him into a passionate kiss.

"You look amazing," Albus murmured breathlessly, touching his forehead against Scorpius.

"Not as amazing as you," said Scorpius, running his eyes over Albus hungrily. "How in the name of Merlin did you manage to get your hair to look like that?"

Albus winked and tapped his nose.

They laced their fingers together and made their way into the Great Hall. They were absolutely taken aback by the scene that greeted them; they'd never seen the hall looking as beautiful as it did then. The entire room seemed to shimmer. One half of the hall had two long tables, each piled high with every type of food and drink imaginable with huge gold chandeliers over head while the other half of the room was being used as a dance floor. The floor was already filled with many students dancing along to music played by the popular wizarding band, Deadly Nightshade.

"McGonagall and the rest of the professors have really outdone themselves tonight," said Albus, as his eyes scanned over the room.

"Yeah, it's fantastic," replied Scorpius.

"Do you want to go over to the tables and say hello to everyone? I think that's Mathew over there with the green mask and black suit."

Mathew waved and nudged Alexander when he noticed the boys approaching.

"Alright, you two? God, Score, how much did that outfit cost you?"

"Enough," he replied with a chuckle.

Scorpius put his hand on Albus' arm, "I'm going to get a drink, Al. Would you like anything?"

"Um, could you get me a Butterbear, please?"

Scorpius wrinkled his nose, "I don't know how you drink that awful stuff."

"Shut up," laughed Albus.

"I don't say anything about that disgusting earl grey tea you drink."

"Earl grey tea is a sophisticated drink, of course you wouldn't be able to appreciate it, you plebeian," said Scorpius with a haughty expression on his pale face.

Albus just snickered at him as he turned away.

 

\- - - - - - - - - -

 

As Scorpius went to fetch the drinks, a familiar tune began to play. He grinned 'I love this song', he thought, as the music caused an excited buzz to run through his body. He weaved his way between the crowds of people to get Albus up to dance, his hips swaying slightly to the music, all thoughts of their drinks forgotten. He arrived back at the group just time to hear Albus' voice loud and cheerful, "I can't wait to get out of this place. It's time to move on. Time for a new beginning!"

"Here, here!" boomed the other boys.

"Score! Hey, where's the dri-" Scorpius never stopped to let Albus finish his question as he shoved past him roughly, trying to keep the nausea that had suddenly hit him at bay.

He ignored Albus' calls of “Scorpius, what's the matter?” and fought to keep the tears stinging his eyes at bay.

As he rushed through the entrance hall and all but hurtled through the front doors of the castle, he ignored the bewildered gazes of his fellow students. Once he was outside under the clear night sky he took huge gulps of the cool air in an unsuccessful attempt to calm his jangling nerves. His thoughts were whizzing uncontrollably in his brain, making him feel light-headed and dizzy.

' _Albus really doesn't want me. He said it himself. I was right_.' Went through his mind on a sickening loop.

He felt foolish for reacting the way he was, but he couldn't help it. He had let himself hope that he and Albus would have a future after Hogwarts, and after finding out that wasn't the case he was painfully disappointed - heartbroken even. He wasn't just losing a boyfriend; he was losing a best friend, and it was just too much for him to bear.

He walked silently through the grounds until he reached the lake. When he sat down on the grass he drew his knees up close to his body and wrapped his arms around himself. At any other time, he would never have even thought of sitting on the ground in his new suit for fear of ruining it, but in that moment, his suit seemed to be the least important thing in the world.

Warm salty tears leaked from behind his mask as he considered what he would do when Albus wasn’t around. He couldn't even imagine a life without him; his mind just seemed to reject the idea completely.

Scorpius rested his head on top of his knees and let his mind drift. He was unaware of the heavy footsteps that were fast approaching. A hand gripped Scorpius' shoulder tightly and shook him hard.

"Scorpius!" came Albus' angry voice, "What the _fuck_ was that all about? You just stormed out for no reason and ignored me when I called after you! What happened?"

"Piss off, Albus," muttered Scorpius as he glared out at the lake refusing to look at Albus.

"Why?" Albus exploded. "What am I supposed to have done, Scorpius? I thought you'd stopped with your moodiness; you've been fine all week!"

"Well, you won't have to deal with my moods much longer."

"What the hell is that supposed to mean?" snapped Albus, fear tangling with his anger.

"When we leave tomorrow!" yelled Scorpius standing up suddenly and whirling round to face Albus. "You'll never have to see me again!"

The rage immediately melted from Albus' face and was replaced with an expression of worry and panic.

"What the hell do you mean, Score? What's going on?" He reached out to take Scorpius' hand, but the blond pulled away from his touch.

"You know fine well what's going on. Why are you making this so difficult? I heard you, Albus!"

"For Christ's sake, Scorpius, you heard what?"

"You saying you didn't want me anymore!" Scorpius roared, sounding broken and bitter.

Albus' face contorted with confusion, and he shook his head as if trying to make everything in it fall into place.

"I never said that, Score. I swear I never did."

"Well, no, you never said that exactly, but it's what you meant. You said there was nothing you were going to miss about this school and that it was time for a fresh start."

To Scorpius' shock Albus laughed. It was a huge, loud laugh that filled Scorpius with rage. He could see nothing funny about the situation.

"You idiot. Are you insane?" asked Albus, still laughing. Scorpius glared at him but he was sure Albus wasn't getting the full effect because he continued to laugh.

"What are you laughing at?"

"When I said that, I didn't mean you, Scorpius. How could you even think that?"

Scorpius stayed silent, so Albus kept talking.

"I love you. I need you. You're not just my boyfriend; you're my best friend. My very best friend. So, even if this," he waved his hand between them, "doesn't last, our friendship will. Best friends are for keeps, Score. We can get through anything together."

Albus' emerald eyes had begun to look suspiciously wet, and Scorpius had to resist the urge to reach out to the other boy.

"When I first met you," Albus continued, "I knew straight away that I wanted to keep you. You were so... fascinating to me. With your unnaturally blond hair and your freaky grey eyes. You were the most gorgeous thing I had ever seen."

He ignored Scorpius grunt of protest and carried on, "And you were so unsure of yourself. You tried to hide it, but I could tell and I wanted to take that uncertainty away so that you would never have to worry again."

They had subconsciously moved closer to each other, and Albus was running his hand up and down Scorpius' arm.

"That's why when I saw you being sorted into Slytherin, I knew that's where I had to go, too. And if you'd been sorted into Hufflepuff, I would have even gone there just to be where you were. And it's the same now, Scorpius; I just want to be where you are."

Albus reached up and carefully removed Scorpius mask, letting his thumbs graze against his boyfriend's cheek. He then pulled off his own mask and dropped them both down on the grass.

"I am in love with you. I have been since I laid eyes on you and I'll stay with you as long as you want me. I don't care how soppy all of this sounds. I'll never leave."

Scorpius didn't even have the time to notice the grin that had spread across his face before Albus was kissing it away. It was a long, slow, desperate kiss as both boys tried to communicate all of their unsaid feelings through the intense slide of lips. When they finally broke apart, they were breathless and completely intoxicated by each other. Albus leaned down to nuzzle Scorpius nose with his own.

"Do you believe me?"

Scorpius nodded and grasped Albus' hand in his own pale slender one. He felt light and elated and relieved.

"Dance with me?" The blond boy asked.

"There's no music out here."

"It doesn't matter," murmured Scorpius as he began to sway, trying to make Albus do the same.

Albus chuckled deep in his throat then began to hum and sway.

"I love you, Al."

"I love you, too, Score. Always."

They stayed outside and just held each other until the morning light and then returned to the Slytherin dungeons to shower and collect their things before they had to leave Hogwarts for good. They were unsure of what the future had in store for them, but it didn't matter to either of them because they knew that wherever life took them, they would be going together.


End file.
